SOUTH BARRE — John A. “Giannino” Salvador, 87, of South Barre, Vermont, died peacefully of heart failure at his home, surrounded by his family, on Friday, August 22, 2014.

He was born on July 22, 1927, the only child of immigrant Italian parents, Pasquale and Rosa (Colombo Zorzi), in Barre, Vermont. Upon his father’s death when John was 12 years old, he accepted responsibility to help his mother maintain the household. He had many odd jobs and was a conscientious worker. He sold soda to the granite workers, newspapers and bouquets of flowers from his mother’s garden, delivered telegrams by bicycle, was a pinboy at the bowling alley, and was a stock boy at M.H. Fishman’s.

Upon graduating pro merito from Spaulding High School in 1945, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and served in the Aleutian Islands until his discharge in 1947. He married Catherine C. Booth on April 10, 1948, at St. Monica Church in Barre. In 1950, they began building their new home on Bridge Street in South Barre where they raised their family and remained until building their present home.

In the early years, John was a bookkeeper at Ballou Farm Equipment Dealer (1947-1950), and then became an office manager at Colombo Granite Co. until 1967. He received a diploma in accounting from LaSalle Extension University in 1965. He passed the certified public accountant (CPA) exam in 1967, at which time he founded his own accounting practice, Salvador & Babic, P.C., that remains in existence today.

In 1974, he was appointed by the governor to the state of Vermont Board of Accountancy, serving a two-year term as chairman and administrator of the state CPA exam. He was treasurer of the Barre Granite Association for 18 years. John was a director of the Granite Savings Bank of Barre, Miles Supply Co. Inc., Warner-Turner Supply Co. Inc. and Country Club of Barre. He was a lifetime member of St. Monica Church and attended the Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, Florida, where he and Catherine spent their winters for the last 30 years. He was a 20-year member of the St. Monica Church men’s choir and sang in the Epiphany Choir. John sang his signature solo, Ave Maria, at family weddings and many other religious occasions. He was a third degree member of the Knights of Columbus for over 30 years. His other memberships included the Vermont Society of CPA, American Institute of CPA, the Barre Lodge of Elks, Barre Lions Club, Mutuo Soccorso Club, Country Club of Barre, various town of Barre committees and coach for Little League and Babe Ruth baseball. For over 25 years, John was a volunteer preparing income tax for the AARP in Venice, Florida.

He was one of nine founding members of Checkpoint Hunting Camp originally located in Fairlee, Vermont, and relocated when a new camp was built in Stannard, Vermont. Primarily a deer hunting camp, the families used it year-round.

He enjoyed the outdoors, rabbit hunting with his beagles, deer hunting, mushrooming, fishing, camping, skiing and cutting wood in his woodlot, among other activities. He taught his children how to fall while skiing, drive a stick shift and count their pennies. He loved all genre of music, especially opera. Children and grandchildren were introduced to the opera and have fond memories of many arias. John was an avid reader and supreme chef of Italian barbecue chicken and developed his “secret” method of timing based on two glasses of red wine. His superb vegetable garden was famous for his pole beans grown from seeds that he dried and saved yearly. He would share these seedlings with many friends and relatives. He planned and supervised the planting of his last garden this May.

John, an only child, always wanted a large family. He instilled many values in his children, including a strong faith in God, love of reading and learning, appreciation of nature, a strong work ethic and most importantly, the strength and love of family. These values have been passed on to his eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. This past October, he planned and traveled with family members to visit his relatives in Vittorio Veneto, Italy.

John is survived by his wife of 66 years, Catherine, and their four daughters and one son, Brenda (John) Buzzell, Karen Blosser, Joanie (Pete) Ross, Mary Ellen Salvador (Bob Coffey) and Jeffrey (Michelle) Salvador. Nonno leaves eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren: Amy (Eric) Mullins and their children, Annabelle, Coen, Ivanna; Jared (Kristina) Buzzell and son, Lucas Salvador; Maria (Eric) Steed and children, Mitchell and Ella; Erin Blosser; Daniel (Kim) Coltey, John Coltey; Codie and Kaden Giannino Salvador. He also leaves his cousin, Richard Salvador, of New Jersey, Salvador cousins in Italy, as well as several nieces and nephews.

The family extends appreciation to Drs. Mark Yorra and Greg MacDonald, the nurses and staff at Central Vermont Medical Center, Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice and Tender Loving Homecare, LLC, for care provided.

Friends and family are welcome at the Hooker and Whitcomb Funeral Home, 7 Academy St., Barre, on Wednesday, August 27, from 5 to 8 p.m. John’s life will be honored with his Mass of Christian burial to be celebrated on Thursday, August 28, 2014, at 11 a.m. in St. Monica Catholic Church. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Monica Catholic Church, 79 Summer St., Barre, VT 05641; Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641; or the Aldrich Public Library, 6 Washington St., Barre, VT 05641.